Mostly a panorama of exceptional voices, which is probably an apt description most weeks. Where once my attention might have been drawn by rhythms or virtuosity, now it is almost always the voice that pulls me in (or makes me wince).

Gabi Lunca

Four tracks on Gabi Luncaâ€™s Sounds from a Bygone Age Vol 5 were previously included in the excellent double album, Gypsy Queens (Network Medien), but have even more impact when set alongside her other songs. The series is turning out to be unexpectedly essential for those of us who want to own and share with our friends as much of the best music ever made as we can afford and have space to store.

When you have heard enough of the Garifuna Womenâ€™s Project, youâ€™d better let me know. Otherwise, Iâ€™m liable to keep playing it to the end off the year. Having become familiar with the strange voices of the ten singers featured in the group collectively known as Umalali, Iâ€™m now enjoying the accompaniment arranged by producer Ivan Duran.

Idrissa Soumaoro

My first impression on glancing at the track list of the third volume of Desert Blues was of over-familiarity. Lucky enough to have been supplied with most of the source albums, I didnâ€™t feel the urge to listen to these songs again. But luckily a friend prevailed on me to put it on, and itâ€™s a perfect example of a compilation that brings songs back to life by sequencing them with wit and skill. Idrissa Soumaoro was a guitarist in the Rail Band until he decided to become a music teacher, in which capacity he introduced Amadou and Mariam to each other when Amadou was his assistant and Mariam their student, at the School for the Blind in Bamako, Mali. Idrissa doesnâ€™t record and play live much any more, but itâ€™s good to hear â€˜M'Bas Den Ouâ€™ again.

Sa Ding Ding

The attention paid to the album Alive by Sa Ding Ding is probably out of proportion to its actually quality, and is all to do with timing. For many reasons, China is in the news, and so a rare release in the West of an album by a Chinese artist was bound to be of interest, especially as she turns out to be young and attractive. The album is sometimes weighed down with predictable western-style production, but individual tracks stand out, including â€˜Oldstar by Xilin Riverâ€™ which she sings in a language of her own invention. I am hopeful that Sa Ding Ding will come to sing with an acoustic line-up during my slot on the Radio 3 stage at WOMAD at the end of July, when I will present a two hour show on Sunday in the format previously broadcast on Radio London. Radio 3 will pick out the bits they like for broadcast the following night (July 28).

Julien Jacob

I sometimes ponder whether there are enough candidates for a whole show featuring artists who have made up their own languages â€“ Sui Vesan of Slovakia is another â€“ but for now settle for just one more example, Julien Jacob, whose latest album Barham is very easy on the ear. His songs sound as full of meaning as those by a singer using an existing language that is unknown to me. I wonder if he has written a dictionary.

Mor Karbasi has seemingly sprung out of nowhere, a British singer of Israeli origin who shares Yasmin Levyâ€™s fascination with reviving the Ladino repertoire of songs brought out of Spain when the Sephardic Jews were exiled by the new Catholic regime in the 13th Century. Itâ€™s always fascinating to consider how tolerant the Islamic Empire had been during the previous centuries, allowing Christian and Jewish quarters to flourish in all its major cities.

The Rough Guide to Indian Lounge is not the most enticing of titles or concepts, but actually much of it is fine, notably the final track by a group of musicians from Malta who call themselves Tribali (presumably pronounced Tribal-eye).

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note from CG: Arthur was in the same year as me at grammar school in Stockton and we've stayed close ever since, so he has a pretty good idea of the likelihood of my being fluent in Romanian

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2. Sue Parker, Bahrain

Excellent programme. I listen to it, when I can, when I am driving home from work. My husband does the same. I've jotted down one artist that I hope to buy - I could easily buy more, but I don't have the time to listen.

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3. John Fix

Dear Mr. Gillett:

I really enjoy you program. I most enjoy music like Ai Ventiquattro by Riccardo Tesi & Claudio Carboni cd title Bar Italia country Italy and Tu Voz- Luchia Reyes- Peru. Would like to hear more music like this but enjoy your programs very much for its variety

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4. Sally, Thusis

I appreciate your fabulous selection of music, and its wonderful to be introduced to such a wide range of music. sometimes i do rush out and buy a new CD, after hearing something on the programme. i particularly love fado, and its interesting to see how many countries have similar ways of using the voice. also, african music, although i'd like to hear more southern african.

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5. Fred Wills, Houston,Tx. USA

Charlie,

Your programme is a fabulous way to "see the world" without the inhibitions of cultural bias so prevalent in the USA. I was blown-over when I first heard that music coming into an American house, and thrilled to know that it was not a fluke or dream of my being somewhere in a more open society where expressions are not judged by one standard.

Your work comes through to me via, of course, the BBC, but National Public Radio for only one-half hour...a very short 1/2-hour. Thank your for sharing your wealth with NPR/BBC, for I am now richer for your generosity.

Most Sincerely,

Fred Wills

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6. Tony Cook, Watford, UK

Last weeks programmes was absolutely first class - I hope I can get my kids into this stuff. Where is a good place to buy the albums?

Tony

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7. Paul Brown, Hull

Having chanced upon your programme about a year ago, I am now hooked, and look forward to the next instalment. As a result my CD collection has become far more varied. Thank Charlie, keep it up!

Last edited by Charlie on Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

Marcel Berlins writes a column in the Guardian's G2 supplement every Wednesday, with a note at the bottom of the page as to what he does in his spare time.

Today: Marcel listened to Charlie Gillett's "wonderful" weekly selection of world music on the BBC's World Service: "As I often do, even though it's on in the middle of the night. One track from Belize has haunted me since - Nibari, sung by Umalali."

Charlie wrote:Marcel Berlins writes a column in the Guardian's G2 supplement every Wednesday

He's also the paper's Legal Affairs Correspondent, so he could be a handy fan to have next time you're trying to work you through the contractual minefield that I'm sure you have to contend with when putting together your annual compilation.

I've been meaning to ask what you all think about all these verbal pats on the back that I post here, the emails that arrive every week from listeners around the world who have never heard anything like this before.

When I began posting the emails, it was to confirm what we all suspect, that when people hear this music we all like so much, they like it too. They don't need special ears or knowledge, it just hits them where it hurts.

But perhaps it just looks as if I'm proving what a popular fellow I must be.

I'd appreciate it if you thought I should stop, or at least cut down on them.

Just finished listening to the programme minutes before the week expired.
As always, a great selection. Where else can you find such diversity in music with inspired comments in 26 minutes and 30 seconds?

I like the addition of the comments from listeners, particularly from outside the UK. It provides some reasuurance that normal people like this stuff as well. But I can't help wondering, do you get any harshly critial emails? I'd enjoy those as well.

Charlie wrote:I've been meaning to ask what you all think about all these verbal pats on the back that I post here, the emails that arrive every week from listeners around the world who have never heard anything like this before.

When I began posting the emails, it was to confirm what we all suspect, that when people hear this music we all like so much, they like it too. They don't need special ears or knowledge, it just hits them where it hurts...

I'd appreciate it if you thought I should stop, or at least cut down on them.

Absolutely keep posting them. It's been said before that we don't get enough fans on this forum: not enough people coming on here just to communicate unqualified enthusiasm for a group, CD, genre etc. To some extent these emails compensate for this and also remind us about why we got into this music in the first place.

Mind you, it would be even better if they were 'allowed' to find out about the existence of this forum so that they could come and post here personally.